Aldara™ Cream (Imiquimod) Effective for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ
Researchers from the United Kingdom have reported that Aldara cream (imiquimod 5%) was effective for treating cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in situ. The details of this report appeared in the June 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology .[1]
Previous studies have shown that Aldara was highly effective in treating actinic keratosis, a sun induced pre-cancerous condition of the skin (see related news). A 5-week treatment with Aldara has also been found to eradicate over 80% of superficial basal cell carcinomas.[2]
Carcinoma in situ (Bowen’s disease) is a more advanced stage of cancer development than actinic keratoses. In this study 16 patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in situ were randomized to receive placebo and 15 to receive Aldara for 16 weeks. Eleven of 15 patients in the Aldara group had complete resolution of their cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in situ with no relapses after 9 months of observation.
Comment: Skin cancers due to sun exposure are a major problem in the United States which appears to be growing in the elderly population as they move to retirement in the Southwest of the United States. The current data suggests that Aldara is effective in reversing precancerous actinic keratose, squamous cell carcinoma in situ and superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Related News:
Imiquimod Cream Reverses Sun Induced Pre-Cancerous Skin Lesions (11/26/2002)
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Prevent Actinic Keratoses and Skin Cancers (1/16/2006)
References
[1] Patel GK, Goodwin R, Chawla M, et al. Imiquimod 5% cream monotherapy for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in sity (Bowen’s disease): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2006;54:1025-1032.
[2] Geisse J, Caro I, Lindhollm J, Golitz L, et al. Imiquimod 5% cream for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma: results of two phase III, randomized, vehicle-controlled studies. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . 2004;50:722-733.
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